Water is a substance that is necessary for life, wherever there is tenderness and life, water is also found, from the smallest living cell to the largest animals need water. Sciatica is commonly referred to as any type of back pain in most people. What is sciatica?
What causes this pain and is drinking water helpful in treating sciatica?
Read on to get the answers to the above questions.
Before any explanation, it is better to know that the term ‘sciatica’, which is common among people, is wrong and it is better to use the term ‘sciatic nerve pain’ instead.
what you will read next :
Anatomy of the sciatic nerve
The sciatic nerve is the tallest and thickest nerve trunk in the human body consisting of five spinal roots joining below the spine (on the right and left) and passing from the lower back into the pelvis, behind the buttocks and behind the thighs and at the back of the knee, it divides into two important branches of the nerve that are responsible for innervating the muscles in the back of the leg.
These branches of these nerves innervate the heel, sole and toes, so the sensation and movement of the components in the path of the sciatic nerve from the lower back to the sole of the foot and the toes is the responsibility of this large nerve. Therefore, any pressure applied to the trunk of the sciatic nerve in the lower back and pelvis causes pain, tingling and tingling, lethargy and muscle weakness.
If the sciatic nerve and its branches are healthy, you can use the muscles in the back of your leg or you will be able to bend your toes upwards.
What are the causes of sciatica?
We said that any pressure on the nerve trunk in the back causes pain that spreads in the path of sciatica and muscle weakness in the same path.
Intervertebral disc herniation:
Humans have five bony vertebrae in the lumbar region, known as the lumbar vertebrae. From each vertebra, a pair of nerves called (spinal roots) emerges, one from the right and one from the left. We said that the sciatic nerve trunk consists of the connection of the five lumbar roots and the next four spinal roots.
Between the two vertebrae is a flexible tissue called the intervertebral disc, which gives the vertebrae a springy state. The circumference of each disc between the vertebrae is surrounded by a tight ring called the annulus. Whenever the vertical pressures on the nut and the disc increase, the jelly core, like the middle of the disc, puts pressure on the annulus ring around the disc.
Pressure is applied to the annulus ring around the disc and part of the disc moves out of the spine which is called a hernia or intervertebral disc herniation. This protruding part of the vertebrae puts pressure on the spinal roots, which are also leaving the space between the vertebrae and causes inflammation of the spinal cord and the nerve.
This inflammation is usually accompanied by spasms and reactive cramps in the muscles of the area. Pressure and inflammation of the nerve cause radicular pain in all or part of the nerve pathway.
Disc herniation is a common cause of sciatic nerve pain among young people. As growing older, the disc nucleus loses its water and becomes inflexible.
At older ages, degenerative changes of the vertebrae and osteoarthritis of facet joints are the most common causes of spinal cord pain.
Degenerative changes:
With age, disc water decreases, the height of the disc between the vertebrae decreases, and in the vertebrae adjacent to the disc, special bony protrusions called bony spines are made to compensate for the weakness of the disc. In addition, there are joints called facet joints at the junction of two adjacent vertebrae, which also suffer from osteoarthritis. These changes narrow the hole from which the nerve root protrudes, so both the bony spines and the narrowing of the hole cause pressure on the root of the spinal nerve and its inflammation, followed by a reactive spasm of the muscles in the area.
In addition to two causes above, the following factors can also be the cause of pressure on the sciatic nerve:
- Tumors
- Infections (osteomyelitis)
- Destruction of the vertebrae due to metastasis or infections
- Multiple myeloma
- …
Is drinking enough water helpful in treating sciatica?
We said that reducing the flexibility of the disc due to drying of the gelatinous nucleus in the middle of the intervertebral disc causes degenerative changes in the vertebral body bone.
Therefore, consuming enough healthy water is essential to maintain the health and vitality of the intervertebral disc.
In addition to consuming healthy fluids, it also adjusts the volume of fluid flowing into the arteries. Adequate blood flow to the arteries around the site of nerve inflammation and muscle spasm causes the toxins and inflammatory substances that cause pain to be washed away more quickly from the site of pain and reduce pain.
To avoid dehydration it is necessary to:
Drink four to six glasses of healthy water during the day. Of course, this amount may increase on hot days or when you are exercising or exercising outdoors in hot weather, But keep in mind that just as drinking too little water is harmful, consuming too much water is bad for your health, especially your brain cells.
When the volume of urine and the frequency of your urination are appropriate, it means that your body needs to drink water properly. Concentrated and small volume of urine can be a sign of dehydration.